Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-04-14

1t is the height of folly for any paper
or person in Dakota to take upon them
selves the task of convincing Dakota
ians that the insane asylum and the
United States and supreme courts were
located In Yapktor by the force of cir
cumstances. A6erdesm h6aos.
This is given in an article casting
ridicule upon the statement of the Press
and Dakotaian that Yankton's public
institutions were the creations of oir-
cumstances and were not placed here
through any efforts upon the part OF
Yan1ton. Yet the statement is true.
The News is probably unfamiliar with
early Dakota history or it would not SO
frequently blunder in its efforts to en-
tighten the people. The United States
district court came to Yankton at very
early. period and without effort, because
there were then no competitors. Yank-
toms supreme court came at the same
time, under a law Of congress prescrib-
ing term OF the supreme. court at the
territorial capital. Neither court was
sought for or Iobbied for or ssked for.
Both came to the then only Dakota city
from sheer force of circumstances. The
insane hospital located at Yankton has
also history with which the public is
probably rot familiar. Up to the sum-
mer of 1878 Dakota's insane were board
ed at the hospitals of contiguous states,
the territory having no hospital Of its
own. During the summer of 1878 the
authorities of Nebraska, who were then
caring sor the insane of Dakota, notified
Governor Howard, of Dakota, that upon
q certain date the Dakota patients with
| in the Nebraska hospital would be
turned over to him, the
Nebraska hospital being over
crowded. Governor Howard applied
successively to the cfliolals Of western
state insane hospitals and could mo-
where find refuge for the unfortunates
SO suddenly thrust upon his care. Each
appeal ended in failure and the governor
found it necessary to make some imme-
diate provision for Dakota's crazy peo-
pie. There were at that time in Yankton
two old wooden immigrant buildings
mere sheds, rough finished and un-
plastered--one belonging to the territory
and the other to the city. Governor
Howard took possession OF the territori-
al building and the city loaned him the
city building. At his personal expense
he caused these buildings TO be moved ss
a school secticn couple os miller
from Ysnkton and they were there fash
ioned into temporary insane hospital
at an expense of $1,000 to the Cover.
nor. AS soon as this rude edifice wa
Iready Dakota's insane patients wer,
placed within it and this was the begin
ming of the Ysnkton hospital for the in
sane. IT was located here through th
force of circumstances. Governor How
, ard was reimbursed by the legislature G
: 1879 for his outlay and at the instance G
Delegate Bennett congress passed Q bill
donating the school section to the terri
tory for insane hospital purposes. i
: 1881 an appropriation for permanen
building was made by the legislatur
! and before this was fully complete
Governor Howard's temporary woode
= building was destroyed by fire. Up
!. this time no effort had been made b
!. the people of Yankton to secure the le
!. cation at this point of ali insane hosp
: tai. Yet it became fixture, as we hay
e previously stated, because OF the eme
It genoy which forced upon the care OF IL
,. territory half hundred unfortnnat,
y who must have place OF abode. Go
4 ernor Howard, without authority, M
y the emergency in the manner describe
+ F and the legislature legahzed his tram
actions.
= Il